ᒍ4ᗰEᔕ IՅApr 6, 2023
flexghost.

Tennessee has forcibly removed two of three elected Democrat officials simply because those officials wanted to protect children from unmitigated gun violence

The chamber vote was 72 to 25. Other red states will follow.

In fact, Florida has already made efforts to remove *all* Democrats from future ballots

Republicans are still in the middle of a coup attempt

Apr 6, 2023 at 9:28pmWeb
Show threadWoodchazApr 6, 2023
@flexghost
Jesus. Are they at least taking it to court.
Show threadMartin Vermeer (not Jesus)Apr 6, 2023
@Woodchaz @flexghost I hear they can run again in special elections in their districts. That's gonna be 'interesting'.
Show thread@billclassifiedApr 7, 2023
@martinvermeer
I would love to see them re-elected.
Show threadMartin Vermeer (not Jesus)Apr 7, 2023
@billjurgensen IKR? Some things need rubbing in.
Show threadBrian LawsonApr 6, 2023

@flexghost

This is disgusting.

Show threadBater KariApr 6, 2023
@flexghost Somehow, someway, and someday all of this lunacy will blow up on the Republicans.
Show threadsladnerApr 6, 2023
@bater @flexghost here’s hoping
Show threadShokkApr 7, 2023
@bater @flexghost Spoiler Alert: they swung the pendulum really hard to the right this time. When it swings left again it’s going to be a mess.
Show threadJoey BoughtAColaApr 6, 2023

@flexghost

#gopterrorists

Show threadSeanApr 6, 2023

@flexghost

FLA GOP's effort to cancel the FLA Dems is all the more ridiculous when looking at what motivated the bill

From the linked article:
Ingoglia (primary sponsor) suggested in a news release that his bill was designed to get back at Democrats and “leftist activists” who he said had “been trying to ‘cancel’ people and companies for things they have said or done in the past,” including “the removal of statues and memorials, and the renaming of buildings.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-republicans-bill-ban-state-democratic-party-rcna72917

Florida Republican pitches bill to ban the state Democratic Party

A Republican in Florida's Legislature has filed a bill that, if enacted, would eliminate the Florida Democratic Party.

NBC News
Show threadBater KariApr 6, 2023
@flexghost @Sean If the Republicans are this desperate, perhaps like their hero, Vladimir Putin, the Republicans could try various methods of assassination.
However, that would entail reworking the criminal law statutes.
Show threadGabriela Noriega 🏳️‍⚧️ 🇧🇷Apr 6, 2023
@flexghost
When I saw the headline I thought that they were just like suspended for a day. Never would've I imagined it could lead to losing your office.
Show threadflexghost.Apr 6, 2023
@gabri literal fascism. Again.
Show threadGabriela Noriega 🏳️‍⚧️ 🇧🇷Apr 6, 2023

@flexghost
I'm reluctant to call it literal fascism as its fash-ness is only clear when there broader context is taken into account. It's hard for me to find any popular paligenic ultra-nationalism in the act of expelling elected politicians over their proposed legislation.

I feel that that act alone, thus, is better described as arbitrary despotism than as fascism.

Show threadJohnWApr 6, 2023
@gabri @flexghost It could still fit the technical description of fascism if the GOP sees themselves as a superior party to the Democrats.
Show threadSofaKingHighApr 6, 2023
@gabri @flexghost call it fascism or despotism it’s still fucking evil. These people don’t really care about anything other than taking over this country for the money. So unless that distinction is gonna help inform the strategy to combat it, it’s semantics.
Show threadBadwolf303Apr 6, 2023
@flexghost How is this possible ? Isn’t it illegal ? Who is enforcing this? #tennessee
Show threadflexghost.Apr 6, 2023
@marcibadwolf303 the South never even had to pay for their part in the Civil War
Show threadBadwolf303Apr 7, 2023

@flexghost Slave owners were paid by the federal government for the loss of their “property”, I believe. The enslaved people got nothing.

#emancipation ? #CivilWar #slavery #ados #elitism #racism

Show threadAmanda BApr 7, 2023
@marcibadwolf303 @flexghost if only we had passed voting rights… that should have been the number one priority! This would not be happening if gerrymandering ended.
Show threadCatherine is not complacentApr 6, 2023
@flexghost withhold all federal funds.
Show threadTAIApr 6, 2023
@flexghost this what happens when we have a country that tolerates being pushed around by their government. Only have to look at europe to see they deserve better results, they don't tolerate this from their government
Show threadNicole ParsonsApr 6, 2023

@flexghost

The GOP are the forefront of a *funded* fascist movement

The funding to end democracy is coming from the wealthiest people on the planet

Koch. Murdoch. Griffin. Uihlein. Schwarzman. Ellison. Thiel. Yass. Mercer. Musk. Putin. Deripaska. Prigozhin. Wynn. Adelson.

Bankman-Fried. Marcus. Harlan Crow. Barre Seid. Bradley. Hendricks. Fancelli. Lauder. Schwab. Buckley. DeVos. Tim Dunn. Farris Wilks. Mohammed bin Salman. Alwaleed bin Talal.

Thomas Peterffy. Kelcy Warren. Daniel DiLella.

Show thread⁰FisherTX14Apr 7, 2023
@Npars01 @flexghost
Yes. She said #BarreSeid. Thank you. It would take 3,200 #ClarenceThomas junkets to equal what #LeonardLeo has on hand now. The #1.6Billion does not count the billion #BarreSeid has already given to the #FederalistSociety agenda.
Show threadLot⁴⁹Apr 7, 2023
@Npars01 @flexghost To be fair, this rogue's gallery of tycoons will let us have the 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 of democracy, or even actual democracy for things that don't raise their taxes. You know: things like naming post offices.
Show threadNicole ParsonsApr 7, 2023

@12thRITS @flexghost

Barbara F. Walter's book "How Civil Wars Start" describes how anocracy gets established in democracies.

A fading powerful minority seeks to reestablish their pre-eminence by destroying democracy and replacing it with the appearance of rule of the people without the reality.

China & Russia are anocracies plus oligarchies & kleptocracies.

#KochNetwork is doing the same in UK, Canada, Australia, and USA.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anocracy

https://www.barbarafwalter.com/books-articles-papers

Anocracy - Wikipedia

Show threadLot⁴⁹Apr 7, 2023

@Npars01 @flexghost I read that book, and it's very good, in part because it shows that modern civil wars are nothing like the 1861-65 events in the US, with uniformed, organized armies conducting set-piece battles. Rather, modern revolutions are sequences of individual events, often terroristic in nature, that enflame the populace.

At the end the author states that the US is almost there. Hard to disagree.

Show threadWallOffTrumpApr 7, 2023
@Npars01 @12thRITS @flexghost
Abso-fuckin-lutely
Show threadEarthlingApr 8, 2023
@Npars01 @12thRITS @flexghost
Compared to fascist China and Russia, POLITICALLY the US is still a (damaged) democracy. But, at the same time there are billionaires and oligarchs in the US, China, Russia,...! How come?
Because ECONOMICALLY all use capitalist economies, based on the exploitation of labor, inequality, discrimination of women, minorities for the purpose of profit and patriarchal rule. Humanity is in the final phase of 5000 years of autocratic male rule. Change it, or go extinct!
Show threadLot⁴⁹Apr 8, 2023
@Raven47 @Npars01 @flexghost Natural resources too.
Show threadTim FearnsideApr 7, 2023
@Npars01 @flexghost worse, yet, is that few of these, if any, actually care about the cultural issues they’ve contrived and wielded as their weapons of choice in order to divide and conquer. And yet, people fail to see through it, taking the bait time and time again. Few will like what they’ve traded democracy for in the end.
Show threadJakeQuokkaMCMApr 7, 2023
@Npars01 @flexghost and they crafted the whole bullshit fiction about the the "deep state" to fool the populace. Meet the actual deep state.
Show threadBreatheApr 7, 2023
@Npars01 @flexghost nice to see someone else who "gets it". How domwe get this knowledge mainstreamed and overcome the "crazy conspiracy" labels?
Show threadNicole ParsonsApr 7, 2023

@Breathe @flexghost

1. Pass Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's DISCLOSE Act & make campaign donations transparent.
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-cicilline-reintroduce-disclose-act-to-end-corrupting-influence-of-dark-money-in-american-democracy#:~:text=The%20DISCLOSE%20Act%20requires%20organizations,more%20during%20an%20election%20cycle.
2. Support reporting & news broadcasts that outs anonymous donors. Watch @Msnbc. Read campaign finance websites.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/issues/guns
https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2021/01/12/trumps-billionaire-enablers-63-billionaires-worth-243-billion-who-bankrolled
3. Boycott GOP donors businesses and Fox News advertisers
I haven't been in a Home Depot in 3 years. I haven't bought from Amazon, a major Tennessee GOP donor, in 5.
4. Elect Democrats who fight fascism

Whitehouse, Cicilline Reintroduce DISCLOSE Act to End Corrupting Influence of Dark Money in American Democracy | U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island

The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island

Show threadWallOffTrumpApr 7, 2023
@Npars01 @flexghost The power and relevance of the 'nation state's is in decline globally. So people gravitate to their TRIBE. The guys you've listed have their own tribe...their own new, transcendent nation - BILLIONAIRISTAN.
Show threadJohnWApr 6, 2023

@flexghost It sure looks that way. If a coup doesn't succeed, try try again... another way.

Now they're doing it through internal legislation and policy.

You can bet the Federal GOP is taking notes.

Show threadPixiePancakeApr 7, 2023
@flexghost It’s absolutely terrifying.
Show threadGradientU0Apr 7, 2023
@flexghost I hope someone asks Anthony Kennedy if his reticence to address gerrymandering that results in this supermajority by the minority assholery was worth it. Fuck that piece of shit.
Show threadMetisCaronApr 7, 2023
@flexghost 😳🤢
Show threadPatricia KaydenApr 7, 2023
@flexghost So the two Black protesters were expelled. Heh
Show threadSonictroubadourApr 7, 2023

@flexghost

Not only is this an anti-democracy action, given the fact that they only removed the people of color, it's also clearly racist!

Well, I bet time will show that this will backfire on them, as what they've done is make those two men a cause celebre! They are now more empowered than ever and they will be back in some, most likely, more powerful capacity soon!

#TennesseeThree

Show threadLstn2urmama 🇨🇦Apr 7, 2023
@flexghost ...That is how communists act and it is forbidden when done democratically...
COMMUNISM...
Show threadJL RobersonApr 7, 2023
@flexghost This is straight-up end-of-Reconstruction kind of shit the right wing are attempting here.
Show threadtoxtethogradyApr 7, 2023
@flexghost I think it will be a while before it sinks in just what happened to them in the Wisconsin court race. Ali Alexander already admitted he knows what it means - "there is no path to 270, unless Republicans nominate someone voters like..."
Show threadWilliam BellApr 7, 2023
@flexghost Be interesting to see how this works out for the GOP in the long run. Feel like they are playing their hand pretty early. Don't see the plan here, it all looks like weird reactionary frothing.
Show threadChrisUApr 7, 2023

@flexghost

Civil War…not a coup

Show threadJen Mc 🏳️‍🌈🇦🇺Apr 7, 2023

@flexghost @kcarruthers

Is there nothing they will stop at? Watching from Australia this blows my mind.

Show threadOtownKimApr 7, 2023
@flexghost The Coup has NEVER stopped!!
Show threadA Tattered ScrapbookApr 7, 2023
@flexghost So the president acts to prevent it? We wait.
Show threadNicole ParsonsApr 7, 2023

@flexghost

This is a new template for Republican fascism.

Have elections but expel whoever the voters select over trivial rule-breaking.

Show threadPattyMB 🦅Apr 7, 2023
@flexghost @MissPixiePancake Notice that the white lady is still in chamber.
Show threadRealworldrjApr 7, 2023

@flexghost sorry, no

Tennessee has forcibly removed two of three elected Democrat officials simply because those officials were black and acted uppity. Also, they supported gun control laws.

Show threadSeth GoldsteinApr 8, 2023
@flexghost This is outrageous!